Libertarian Party Wins Court Case Against FEC And
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shrinking BIG government • advancing liBerty WWW.LP.ORG Page 15 April 2017 The Official Newspaper of the Libertarian Party Volume 47, Issue 2 In This Issue: NH Rep. Caleb Dyer defects from GOP to LP Chair’s corner .............................2 t a press conference on Feb. 9, Rep. LP News“[Libertarian ballot LP campaigns ........................ 3–6 Caleb Dyer, who was elected to Young LP leaders ..........................4 the New Hampshire legislature as access] is truly a golden Aa Republican, announced his switch to the opportunity to establish Libertarians in office ..............5, 7 Libertarian Party. LPHI chair pushes decrim. .........6 Dyer was one of 11 candidates out of 20 ourselves as a viable LNC 2016 Annual Report .........8–9 who won at-large seats in the Hillsborough alternative [to the 37 District. Because he was elected in Nov. Republican Party] and History preservation committee ..10 2016, he will serve most of his two-year become advocates for Ballot access update ....................10 term as a Libertarian. Dyer’s switch to the LP was motivated in principled, classically LP calls for Libertarian on CPD ....10 part by its achieving official party status in liberal policy.” Ruling for LP in FEC challenge .....11 New Hampshire in 2016 for the first time in –Rep. Caleb Dyer (L–N.H.) twenty years, and with it, access to the ballot. Featured LP supporters ........11, 12 “This fact should be seen as a warn- portunity to establish ourselves as a viable Rep. Caleb Dyer announcing his switch Affiliate updates ...................13–15 ing to members of the majority that their alternative to this representation and be- to the Libertarian Party, flanked LP reacts to Trump speech ..........14 constituency is slowly but surely growing come advocates for principled, classically by LPNH officers Darryl Perry (chair) and Jilletta Jarvis (secretary) Convention 2018 theme ..............15 discontent[ed] with increasingly partisan liberal policy.” representation,” Dyer said. “For elected Dyer has stated that he: 2017 state conventions ...............16 Republicans like myself who have liber- • supports tax credits or refunds for Media buzz ..................................16 tarian leanings, this is truly a golden op- parents who choose to home-school continued on page 5... Libertarian Party wins court case against FEC and CPD by Carla Howell The FEC acted “arbitrarily, n a victory for presidential debates’ being more open, capriciously, and contrary to law” a U.S. District Court ruled on Feb. 1 against the FEC in the case Level the Playing Field et al v. Federal Elec- with respect to its conclusion that Ition Commission. The lawsuit, in which the Libertarian the polling criterion set by the Party is a co-plaintiff, aims to make more fair the debate CPD for inclusion in the 2016 criteria set by the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD). presidential debates was objective. As reported in the Feb. 2017 issue of LP News, Judge Tan- ya Chutkan had rebuked the FEC for its testimony in January tial debates was objective. during oral argument in the case. The FEC had attempted to The order directed the FEC to reconsider the plaintiffs’ justify its dismissal of a complaint issued by Level the Playing allegations against the CPD within 30 days, and to recon- Field (LPF) against the CPD, ignoring mounds of evidence sider LPF’s request for a rule-making within 60 days. presented by LPF’s lead attorney, Alexandra Shapiro. Later that week, the FEC asked Judge Chutkan to recon- Consistent with her comments in court, Chutkan’s order sider her order, and asked for more time to respond. states that the FEC acted “arbitrarily, capriciously, and con- Four days later, the judge granted the FEC an additional L–R: Co-chairmen Mike McCurry and Frank Fahrenkopf trary to law,” with respect to its conclusion that the polling 30 days. She noted in her response that the FEC had failed of the Commission on Presidential Debates criterion set by the CPD for inclusion in the 2016 presiden- continued on page 11... pAge 2 The liberTAriAn pArTy — www.lp.org April 2017 Chair’s Corner Donor Appreciation The health of our freedoms One ananymous individual became The following individuals became Beacon of Liberty contributors: by Nicholas Sarwark, Chair works, because it was Obama’s a Beacon of Liberty contributor. signature achievement as any of you may know that our family has a president. The Republicans The following individuals became Lifetime Founder contributors: used car dealership in Phoenix. As a small- will make superficial changes David Pratt Demarest John Marsh Tia Smith business owner, I can tell you that things like to how it works, but keep most Tom Dunbar Dean Musgrave Jose Tumang Mhealth insurance are not just theoretical issues, but day- Don Hochstatter James Presley Kyle Varner of the requirements of the law Roland Maddrey to-day issues for how we run our business. that are already in place. Arizona is a tough place to buy health insurance as a Only the Libertarian Party The Libertarian Party grants lifetime membership to small business. When you visit the SHOP Marketplace supports getting to the root (the Affordable Care Act’s provision for small business- individuals who contribute at least $1,500 during any of the problem. We recog- 12-month period. Call 202-333-0008 to find out how es to buy health insurance for their employees), you nize that this overly regulated Nicholas sarwark can choose which company you would like, to provide market for health insurance much more you would need to donate to become a your health insurance coverage. forces you to buy coverage you don’t need or don’t Lifetime Member today. My choices were: Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and…noth- want. We understand that a system that offers you ben- ing else. Every other insurance company had pulled out efits without requiring that providers compete will be of the Arizona marketplace for small businesses. unsustainable. David F. Nolan Memorial Building Fund After “choosing” Blue Cross and setting up a plan Many people were attracted to the Gary Johnson for where our company would pay 50 percent of the premi- President campaign because he brought his experience Liberty Room Donor: ums for our employees who wanted to sign up, we had as a two-term governor to the issues while singing the our health insurance. The insurance premium for me, virtues of a free market in medicine. “We would have Michael Chastain my wife, and our three children comes to about $1,400 Stitches R Us,” he chimed, illustrating how we can Uber- per month—$300 more than the mortgage on our house. ize medicine by getting the government out of the way. Founders of Liberty: And it still bears a $2,000 individual deductible before When neither of the dominant parties is willing to ac- John R. Kuhn, Esq. Geoffrey & Nancy Neale the insurance starts covering things. That’s the “silver” knowledge how broken our health insurance system is, plan, the middle option under the Affordable Care Act. the Libertarian Party has the opportunity to take up the Hero of Liberty: Clearly, this system of requiring individuals to buy mantle of being the adults in the room—the ones who terrible health insurance, or pay a penalty to the gov- understand policy and its consequences, and who can ex- Charles Davol Test ernment if we are unable or unwilling to support it, is plain how a Libertarian solution would work better. Benefactors of Liberty: unsustainable. These kinds of opportunities are going to present It’s hard to imagine a plan worse than the Affordable themselves more and more often as we approach the David Aschmann Dr. Stan L. O’Dell, Ph.D. Care Act, but the Republicans, with their plan for “replace- midterm elections in 2018. We need to make sure the Anina and Ben Bachrach Mel Pinney ment,” have managed to create one. It requires that you Libertarian Party has clear, sensible, and articulate po- Ms. Alicia Garcia Clark Mr. Richard S. Roth pay the penalty for noncoverage directly to the insurance sitions, to show people that we understand their dif- Daniel Fylstra John R. Sparduto companies, rather than to the IRS. At least that “corporate ficulties and have real solutions. John Kannarr Dr. Curry B. Taylor welfare” is more aboveboard under the Republican plan. Yours in liberty, Dave Kaufman Lorence & Nancy Wenke The Democrats will complain and push back against Nicholas J. Sarwark Mr. David R. Mason Mr. Christopher Witzky the Republicans’ altering how the Affordable Care Act continued on page 3... libertarian party newS www.LP.org (ISSN 8755-139X) is the official LP News newspaper of the Send newS, articleS, Libertarian Party® of the United eSSayS, or photographS: States. Opinions and articles The Libertarian Party (LP) and its state affiliates work to advance the right E-mail: [email protected] of individuals to be free, so long as they do not forcibly interfere with the published in this newspaper do not addreSS changeS: equal rights of others. The party runs candidates for public office, elects necessarily represent official party Libertarians, supports and opposes ballot measures, lobbies, and takes Phone: (202) 333-0008 positions unless so indicated. positions on public policy aimed at removing, reducing, and nullifying government E-mail: [email protected] laws, regulations, prohibitions, taxes, spending, debt, and foreign interventions. poStal mail: national chair: Nicholas Sarwark 1444 Duke St. E-mail: [email protected] Alexandria, VA 22314 EDitor: Carla Howell Assistant EDitor: Elizabeth C. Brierly Phone: (202) 333-0008 CONTRIBUTORS: Nicholas Sarwark, Sandra Kallander, Greta Langhenry, Laura Ann Valle, Patrick McKnight, Caryn Ann Harlos, Jess Mears, state affiliates Vol. 47, issue 2 The liberTAriAn pArTy — www.lp.org pAge 3 Rohrman wins LP nomination for New Jersey governor n front of a sold-out LP state convention This includes reforming prevailing-wage Rohrman: “I’ll use mass held at Rutgers University in March, the laws to make public services competitive New Jersey Libertarian Party nomi- again, and abolishing “double-dipping,” pardon powers to create Inated U.S.